Spicy Sausage & Black Bean Chili

Unusual flavor and easy to make...you can also decrease the heat to actually make it edible! Tastes great on a cold winter day with a fresh loaf of crusty bread and a crisp green salad.

• Ready In: 1 hr 40 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1  lb hot Italian sausage
• 2  tablespoons chili powder
• 2  teaspoons dried oregano
• 2  teaspoons ground cumin
• 1  teaspoon cinnamon
• 1  teaspoon fennel seed, crushed
• 2  bay leaves
• 2  onions, chopped
• 4  cloves garlic, minced
• 2  sweet red peppers, chopped
• 1  teaspoon adobo sauce
• 1  chipotle pepper, diced
• 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 (19 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

Directions

1. Remove sausage from casing.
2. In dutch oven over medium-high heat, brown meat breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks.
3. Drain off all but 2 tsp fat.
4. Reduce heat to medium.
5. Add chili powder, cumin, oregano, cinnamon, fennel seeds and bay leaves.
6. Cook, stirring for 1 minute.
7. Add onions, garlic, red peppers, adobo sauce, and chipotle pepper.
8. Cook, stirring, for about 8 minutes or until vegetables are softened.
9. Stir in diced tomatoes and 2 cups water.
10. Bring to boil, reduce heat and cook, covered, for 20 minutes.
11. Stir in beans.
12. Simmer, uncovered, for another 30 minutes or until sauce is thickened.
13. Remove bay leaves.
14. Note: you can substitute a jalapeno pepper for the chipotle pepper and hot sauce for the adobo sauce.